If you complain about this resort then you will never be happy!!!

This was one of the best weeks of my life and the best resorts that I have ever stayed in. My husband and I have traveled quite a bit in the last couple of years and this has been the best of them all. We have visited Turks and Caicos, Jamaica, St. Lucia (which was the worst), and even more.

My best friend reccommended this resort to me and I was very pleased. I have to say that I was scared of all the negative reviews. After I went, I cant even imagine anybody complaining about this resort. If you have complained (except for something specific), then that says something about you.

The food was amazing. The Itialian place is the best. We ate there three times. I didn't hear great reveiws of the Mexican so we didnt go (because it was really authentic), but everything else was great. I ate some of the best Lasagna that I have ever had (yes in Mexico). The best thing was the breakfast. They have 24 hour room service so you can get breakfast delivered every morning even in the bed (which was so romantic). We got sausage, eggs, bacon, toast, french toast and so much more. The Japanese place was really good too. I like sushi and it was good but my husband (in which doesnt like sushi) ate some kind of beef and it was very tender.

The pools were awesome. The north pool is more relaxing and the south pool has more acitivites. I had fun at both. I didnt go to the spa, because I didnt want to leave the pool. They said that the tours were good also but again I didnt want to leave the pool.

The clubs were great. There is a disco dance club and a martini bar (that had beds so that you could relax on) that were alot of fun. We met so many great people.

Everybody was so nice. The workers always said "Ola" and "gracia" every where we went.

Oh and the rooms were outstanding. Every room has a two person hot tub, fridge, and a liquor cabinet.

The only thing that my husband said that he wished would have been different was the the ocean. It is a lagoon but we knew this before we got there. I loved it, because I dont really like getting in to the ocean, but it had an ocean feel. We took the kayaks into it and had a blast.

We went to Sandals last September for double the price and this place was ten times better. I will never fo back to a Sandals resort (and we were such big fans).

This place is an absolute paradise. If you dont have a great time then that is your fault and your attitude. It is exactly what a vacation is suppose to be. You will see. if I am so wrong then why are there are soooooooo many people that go back every year.

If you are going soon, then I am jealous. We are going back in January...

I stayed here with family for 4 nights in April. The facilites are very clean and the rooms are nicely appointed. The in-room mini bar and liquor dispenser are included in the room rate. The fitness facilities are very nice as well and we enjoyed the rock climbing wall. There seemed to be a little confusion when we would ask for 3 of any amenity (ie. slippers, robe, etc.) since there were 3 of us staying in the room which I guess was uncommen. Also, lunch options are limited- go to the restaurant at the South pool or try the buffet at the North pool. The early morning yoga was nice, we enjoyed hearing the ocean waves. The Thai lounge made great mixed drinks. Make sure to try a Mayan coffee at dinner, they are incredible. Overall a very nice resort with friendly staff. I would definitely stay here again.

I also recommend taking the included tour to Tulum, but bring lots of bottled water with you since it gets really hot.

My husband and I decided to travel to Mexico for our honeymoon. We reached out to GOAWAYTRAVEL.com to get some information on locations and packages for our big trip. I had the pleasure of working with Jenn Monroe. She was eager to help us find exactly what we wanted for our honeymoon. Aftering reviewing the information that had been provided by our wonderful agent, we chose to travel to the Mayan Riveria and stay at Aventura Spa Palace. We knew that Aventura would be a wonderful place since we had other family members who had traveled there, but we were not prepared for how much we would love it. The resort itself is absolutely gorgoues. We were greeted quickly and warmly the moment we stepped off our transport. The staff wants nothing more than to please you. I was impressed by the fact that every member of the staff will stop and speak to you as you walk by. The room was also wonderful. It had a king bed, standard bathroom (shower, sink, and toilet), and a DOUBLE JACUZZI TUB!!!!! Most of the rooms also have a hammock on the balcony. When we weren't in the room we were lounging by the pool sipping on miami vices, pina colodas, and mudslides. If that wasn't enough there were different shows or gatherings each night. The resort even gave all of those people who were on their honeymoon a special dinner. There are so many other wonderful things to say about the location, but our advice is to go there and experience it for yourself. We loved it so much we are considering going back next year and making it a group event!!!!

We have vacationed at many All Inclusive resorts, and have to say that ASP was our greatest disappointment.

First the positives:
• The weather was amazingly good (last week of April 26-May 3). We enjoyed sunshine every day, but the only shaded areas were around the lagoons and up at the indoor pool. We found the latter to be a delightful respite from the sun. It also had a great juice bar with refreshing and healthful drinks.
• The staff at the Resort is great. They are happy, friendly, courteous and very hard working. We also were impressed with the employment opportunities, training and benefits that local and international workers enjoy, including a Foundation that benefits needy employees and their families.
• The Spa was also wonderful. The staff is very well trained and the massage services are the best I have had at any resort. Although the resort was nearly booked, there was no problem getting a spa appointment, even same day.
• Tours: We took advantage of the Tulum Express tour and liked it very much. The tour guide was knowledgeable, enthusiastic and had a lot of good insight into the history of the ancient Mayan ruins. We also did the ASP “Kitchen” tour and I highly recommend it also. It will give you an appreciation of the standards which are maintained for accepting and preparing food, and a glimpse into the types of training, benefits and personnel policies that govern the facility.

Mixed Blessings:
• Property: The property is beautifully landscaped and the grounds are well maintained. You have to wonder why in this day and age they still cut hedges manually, but at least they do a good job. The buildings and rooms are constantly being repaired and painted, but surprisingly the quality of the patching of cracks and tiles is extremely poor. It was sad to see beautiful tiles with plaster smudged over cracks.
The size of the property is a disadvantage. It is huge - hosting a convention center and 1200 rooms. Now I know that we are suited to smaller, more intimate properties, where you get to know the staff and have a chance to make more meaningful connections. Convention goers are not looking for the same type of travel experience as vacationers and that confuses the level and quality of service that can be offered.
• Food/Beverages: There are seven restaurants and we tried all but the Vegan one. At best I would describe the food as plentiful, but only fair. The Mexican restaurant is very noisy; the steaks in the Argentine steakhouse were of poor quality (I doubt seriously that the beef was from Argentina); the Asian restaurant was like local carry out; Pizza & Pasta had a good carving station, and the pasta station was fair, but our group of four each wanted something different, so our opportunity to eat at the same time was disrupted by the challenges of seeking out the food options. El Greco and the fine dining Italian were mediocre, at best. While ASP boasts free flowing premium booze, it too is a disappointment. Most drinks were watered down. It is best to ask for double shots in the mixed drinks. Another downer was that the restaurant bars served martinis in wine glasses. On the plus side, the wines from Chile and Argentina were very good, and if you are a big drinker, you can drink yourself silly in the privacy of your room; however, I felt that most people were not inclined to do so. The booze bar is hanging on the wall.

Negatives:
• Class Distinctions: ASP is a Vacation Time share property. A lot of heavy marketing goes on, but once you say no, they leave you alone. Members wear black and silver wrist bands, while the rest of the peons (Apple, American Express, honeymooners, etc.) wear other colors. The members have certain entitlements, including the preferred rooms and the ability to make reservations at the restaurants, along with some other perks. We arrived with another couple and we both expected water view rooms. The other couple had a water view room, but our room overlooked dead shrubbery and trees and if you angled yourself around the balcony you could get a glimpse of the water. I immediately requested a room change and was given the run around by several desk people, one of whom told me (perhaps against company policy) that they could not promise a room change because we were with Apple Vacations and not part of the ASP membership. After a series of heated discussions with the Apple Rep at the resort and the Public Relations rep, our room was changed on Day 2. Except for suites, all standard rooms are basically the same and they are a huge disappointment.
• The Marketing Tour lasted 90 minutes and we received $200 in spa and activity credits for our time. While we were being briefed at breakfast, several people who are members of the Vacation Club were giving us a negative nod, and later said that they were not happy with the Club.
• Rooms: All rooms have a two-seater Jacuzzi, which takes up a large amount of large amount of floor space in what is already a small room. You also have to plan to use the Jacuzzi because the water pressure is low and it takes forever to fill up the tub. The rest of our room was filled with a King size bed, a combination desk and small dresser drawers, along with two desk chairs. There was no place else to sit or lounge, except on the bed; no luggage racks, so your suitcase must sit on the floor. The solution to our luggage rack issue was to send us short outdoor patio plastic patio tables. The bathroom has a small vanity with only one sink and little space for toiletries. Lighting is very poor throughout. The hallways are concrete so you can hear the carts rolling and people walking throughout the day and night. Fortunately we ended up in Building 4, which was quieter than most of the others, because it was away from the dining and entertainment areas. Another, quality issue is the patio. They had cheap plastic chairs and a netted hammock, while member room balconies had upgraded furniture.
• Rates: The package price was much higher than other highly rated resorts that we have stayed at. When you pay a lot more, you expect overall quality and water views, without having to argue about what your expectations are.

Did we have a good time? Absolutely. Once we worked out the room issue, we did exactly what we wanted to do, and overlooked the shortfalls.

Unfortunately, I know that we will not return.